Firing mechanism for guns



Nov. 27, 1962 J. BUNHLLER 3,065,560

FIRING MECHANISM FOR GUNS Original Filed Nov. 21, 1958 lllllllllllllll /nven for CQUES UM/LLER tred 3,6655@ FHRING MEQHANSM FR GUNS `Facilities Burniller, Valence, France, assigner, by mesne assignments, to Sartini, ne., Societe dirftppiications de Recherches Minier/es et Industrielles, Lenser-beide, Switzerland @riginal application Nov. 2l, 195%, Ser. No. 775,434. Divided and this application Feb. 29, ldt), Ser. No. 11,628

Claims priority, application France Dec. 4, i957 d Claims. (Cl. 4t2-69) The present application is a division of application Serial No. 775,484, filed November 2l, 1958.

The present invention relates to improvements in firing or striker mechanisms for guns or explosively actuated tools, particularly fixing guns or explosively actuated tools which drive, under the effect of an explosive charge, nails, studs, plugs and the like, into hard compact materials. The main purpose of said improvements is to afford greater safety and greater facility in the use of this kind of gun or tool.

The improved firing or striker mechanism, which is also applicable not only to fixing guns but to rearms in general, is that the ring or percussion mechanism comprises a permanent magnet and an armature of magnetic metal, one of these two elements being connected to percussion means and subjected to the action of elastically yieldable means tending to urge it forwardly, whereas the other element is connected to an actuating trigger, the arrangement being such that when the trigger is depressed, the latter l drives the assembly of the armature and permanent magnet rearwardly until the force of the elastically yieldable means, compressed by this rearward movement, exceeds the force of attraction of the magnet and suddenly forwardly propels the striking means and associated elements.

Elastically yieldable return means are provided for returning the trigger to its inoperative position in which there is once more cooperation between the permanent magnet and the armature.

Further features and advantages of tbe invention will be apparent from the ensuing description of one embodiment ot' a gun for driving nails and the like incorporating the aforementioned improvement, with reference to the accompanying drawing, to which the invention is in no way restricted.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a partial longitudinal sectional View of the loaded gun in its inoperative position;

FIG. 2 is an elevational View of the frame and upper part of butt grip;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the gun in its inoperative position;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along lines IV-IV and V-V of FIG. l, and

FIG. 6 is an elevational View showing the safety slot system provided in the breech casing and the protruding pivot pin of the pivotal mounting between the barrel-carrying body and the fork, which pin cooperates with said grooves.

In the embodiment shown in the gures, the barrel 1 of the gun is slidably mounted in a barrel-carrying body 2 which latter is slidable in a safety sleeve 3 which is connected to a holding grip i which normally bears against the frame S which carries the breech casing 6 and is rigid with the butt Sa.

Bearing against a shoulder on the barrel 1, is a ring 7 which acts as a support for one end of an elastically yieldable sleeve or tube 8 which is composed of, for example, rubber and whose other end `bears against an abutment ring 9 held stationary in the body 2.. The barrel ll is thus biased rearwardly in the body 2. Owing to this arrange- 2. ment, the cartridge D (containing the propelling charge) of the nail P, which cartridge is conical and is introduced in the body 2 (when the latter has been pivoted by the user to the position X-X shown in dot-dash line in FIG. 1 as it will be explained hereafter) is suitably urged against the rear end of the barrel which constitutes a shoulder when the barrel is brought to the closed position shown in full line, in which position the rear end of the cartridge D is subjected to an axial pressure exerted by a closing mem-ber to be described hereinafter.

In the forward part of the sleeve 3 and abutting the forward end of the body 2, is a split ring It) whose two portions, divided along a diametral plane, are subjected to a centripetal clamping or tightening action by an elastically yieldable sleeve il. When nothing opposes this clamping action, this ring lb engages in an annular recess 1a in the barrel l and holds the latter axially in position. The safety sleeve 3 (together with the grip 4) is held (against the frame 5) in the position shown in FIG. l by means of a spring Si surrounding the forward portion of the barrel and abutting, at one end, a barrel muzzle nut 1c and, at the other end, the split ring 10.

rThe splinter guard l2, which is constituted Iby a pressed sheet of metal, comprises at its rear part a mounting tube 13 adapted to be engaged in the split ring 10 and to open the latter in opposition to the action of the clamping effect of the sleeve lll. Thus, when the splinter guard is placed in position, the barrel 1 and the elements lc, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, I6 are slidable axially relative to the elements 3-45-6.

The rear part of the barrel-carrying body 2 is connected by pivot pin 14 to a fork l5 whose branches are integral with a closing member I6. The assembly 15-16 (with the body 2 and the barrel l) is slidable in the breech casing 6 which encloses a safety spring 17, one end of which bears against the transverse end wall 6a of the breech casing whereas the other exerts a thrust in the forward direction on the closing member 16, that is, on the assembly 1-2-.3-14-15-l6, which can also effect a movement of rotation about the longitudinal axis of the gun relative to the assembly 5-6, when the gun is in its closed position (the barrel being disposed on the axis of the gun).

The aforementioned rotational movement can be controlled by the grip 4 which is connected to the sleeve 3, the latter having, to this end, a longitudinal recess 3a, in which is slidable a pin 18 which is rigid with the abutment ring 9 and extends into a longitudinal opening 2a formed in the forward end of the body 2.

The amplitude of the rotational and longitudinal movements of the assembly l-2-3-14-l5-l6 relative to the assembly 5 5 is determined by an arrangement of safety slots carried by the assembly S-e and shown in FIG. 6.

This arrangement comprises a transverse slot 19 cornmunicating with a longitudinal slot 2d. Movable in said two slots is a pin Ma constituting an extension of the pivot pin I4 (interconnecting the elements 2 and l5). The slot Ztl has such length that, when the grip 4 has caused rotation of the assembly 1 2-3 ld-l-ll through such an angle that the pin i461 moves from its position shown in FIG. 6 to a position in which it is in alignment with the slot Ztl, it is possible in firmly applying the forward end of the barrel il against the surface which is to receive the nail P, to drive forward the breech casing e until the splinter guard 12 comes into Contact with said surface whereupon the gun is ready to be tired, the breech casing having, at the same time, been suciently moved forwardly with respect to the ammunition cartridge D and the assembly 1-Z 3 l4-lS-l6, in order that said cartridge is encountered by the tiring pin 2l whose mechanism will now be described.

In the striker mechanism forming the subject-matter Patented Nov. 27, i952 acaaaeo of the invention, the firing pin 21 is carried by a bronze skirt 22 which is freely slidable in the rear part 6a of the breech casing and which a spring 23 biases forwardly. A yielding ring (circular clip) 24, constituting an abutment, retains the skirt 22 in its forward position. Fixed in the skirt 22, for example by a screw-threaded arrangement, is an armature 25, for example of mild steel. Slidable at the rear of said armature in the skirt 22, which acts as a guide therefor, is a permanent magnet 25 rigid with the rear end of a rod 27 which is mounted for sliding movement outside the breech casing and has a forward end in the form of a trigger 28. A spring 29 ordinarily urges the magnet 26 against the armature 25. When the user retracts the trigger 28, the latter moves rearwardly with the permanent magnet 26 which latter draws back the armature 25 and the attached skirt 22 (which compresses the spring 23) and the tiring pin 21. This rearward movement continues until the force of the spring 23 overcomes the force of attraction of the magnet 26. At this moment the armature 25 is forced from the magnet 26 and the assembly 21--22--25 is thrown forwardly by the force exerted by the percussion spring 23.

When the trigger 28 is released, the magnet 26 is urged forwardly by the return spring 29 and once more comes into contact with the armature 25.

This particular embodiment of the firing device is, moreover, applicable to firearms in general.

It will be observed that the skirt 22 and the firing pin 21 are slightly eccentric relative to the axis of the barrel l, and the closing member 16 has for the passage of the ring pin an aperture 39 which is eccentric to the same extent. in order that the tiring pin be capable of passing through the aperture 3G, these two elements must occupy the same angular position relative to the longitudinal axis of the gun. As the angular position of the firing in is xed, alignment between the tiring pin and the aperture 3G is achieved when the assembly l-Z-S-M-TrS-lo is rotated by the grip 4 for permitting the rearward movement of this assembly.

The gun improved in the manner described hereinbefore operates in the following manner:

To load the gun, the barrel 1 and the elements lc, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, lt), 11, 12, 1?, 1S, 31 are swung about the pivot pin i4 to the position indicated by the axis X--X. In this position, the loading chamber formed in the rear of the barrel-carrying body 2 is accessible and the ammunition can be engaged therein (the nail P and the cartridge D). The cartridge D protrudes slightly out of the body 2, since it is urged rearwardly by the end transverse face of the barrel ll, which latter is subjected to the action of the elastically yieldable sleeve 8.

When the gun is once more closed, the rear face of the cartridge D comes into Contact with the forward face of the closing member lo which thereupon forces the ammunition fully into the loading chamber. While the ammunition is being forced into the latter, the barrel 1 moves slightly forward and compresses the elastically yieldable sleeve 8 and the gun is suitably maintained in the preparatory firing position.

When firing the gun, the forward end of the barrel 1 is rmly applied against the surface intended to receive the nail P until the splinter guard i2 encounters said surface, the grip 4 having been previously rotated which alone permits the forward movement of the breech casing with respect to the barrel (with the elements connected thereto), the pin 14a sliding along the longitudinal slot 20.

At the end of this forward movement of the breech casing, the ammunition is suiiciently near the firing pin to be struck by the latter. It will be recalled that, owing to the rotation of the grip 4, the ring pin 21 is brought in alignment with the aperture 34).

When the trigger is depressed, the tiring pin is first urged rearwardly and then suddenly projected forwardly (when the armature leaves the magnet) and causes the ammunition to be fired.

As soon as the nail P has been red, it is merely necessary to once more swing the barrel 1 open (in the position indicated by the axis X-X) to easily withdraw the cartridge D which has been slightly forced out of its housing in the body 2 by the barrel which has moved rearwardly in the body 2 under the effect of the elastieally yieldable sleeve 8.

It can be seen that the improved gun incorporates a great number of safety measures, namely it is impossible to re the gun if, for example, the splinter guard is not in position or if the user has not both rotated the grip 4 and applied the barrel against the surface receiving the nail.

It is obvious that embodiment of the striker mechanism described hereinbefore and shown in the accompanying drawing has been given merely by way of example, it being understood that the invention is not limited thereto and any modification of details therein can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A ring mechanism for guns, said mechanism comprising: a slidable firing pin; elastically yieldable means for urging forwardly the firing pin; a movable trigger for controlling the tiring pin; and an armature member and permanent magnet member arrangement, one of the members of which arrangement is connected to the tiring pin whereas the other member of said arrangement is connected to the trigger, whereby, when the trigger is retracted, the latter moves said armature-permanent magnet arrangement rearwardly with the firing pin until the force exerted by said elastically yieldable means, which are stressed by the rearward movement of the ring pin, exceeds the force of attraction of the magnet and suddenly throws forwardly the ring pin and said element with which it is connected.

2. Firing-mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising elastically yieldable return means for returning the movable trigger to its inoperative position, in which there is once more co-operation between the permanent magnet member and the armature member.

3. A firing mechanism for guns, said mechanism comprising: a slidable tiring pin; elastically yieldable means for urging forwardly the tiring pin; a movable trigger for controlling the rng pin; and an armature member and permanent magnet member arrangement, one of the members of which arrangement is axially integral with the firing pin whereas the other member of said arrangement is so connected to the trigger as to be dependent on the motion of said trigger, whereby, when the trigger is retracted, the latter moves said armature-permanent magnet arrangement rearwardly with the firing pin until the force exerted by said elastically yieldable means, which are stressed by the rearward movement of the tiring pin, exceeds the force of attraction of the magnet and suddenly throws forwardly the tiring pin and said element with which it is connected.

4. Firing-mechanism as claimed in claim 3, further comprising elastically yieldable return means for returning the movable trigger to its inoperative position, in which there is once more co-operation between the permanent magnet member and the armature member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,424,247 McCaslin July 22, 1947 2,701,931 Polny Feb. 15, 1955 2,869,563 Schoengrun Ian. 20, 1959 

